Many of us love the artistry, style, and ingenuity of artisans all over the world. But did you know your compassion is supporting Peruvian natives like the Cocomas? They are an ethnic group comprised of the Manacamiri people. For generations they have dedicated their lives to agriculture, fishing, and handicrafts as their main source of income.
Gregoria, a Peruvian artisan, has worked for years crafting goods for her community. But she has also seen much economic hardship in Peru. Gregoria described how her family only ate if her crafts sold. Can you imagine not feeling confident about where you next meal will come from? This was the reality for those earning their living by making traditional crafts in Manacamiri.
Help With Hardship In Peru
But after Operation Blessing learned of this community, through your faithful partnership, the lives of many families were about to change. Thanks to generous friends like you, Operation Blessing started a community project for Manacamiri artisans. Many families with craft skills learned to improve their weaving techniques and painting, and how to create new products. Now they have ways to help battle the economic hardship in Peru they were facing.
Thank you so much for you kindness! Because of you, Gregoria, Mirna, and dozens of other artisans in Manacamiri have transformed their enterprise and empowered their lives. To learn how you can get involved, visit https://www.ob.org.
The following report comes to us from May-Lee Melki, daughter of the co-founder of our partner, Heart for Lebanon. She shares deep from her heart on the anniversary of the Beirut explosion about the tragedy that struck her nation and the ongoing challenges they still face. We know you’ll appreciate hearing how our partners have reached out during this tragic time, in part, thanks to you.
This might not be the first article you read that reflects back on the events of August 4, 2020. For every resident in Lebanon and every Lebanese globally, 6:07 PM on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 marks the darkest day they can recount, the day of the Beirut explosion. The people of Lebanon collectively experienced one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. One that destroyed their capital, killed over 200 innocent civilians, thrust over 300,000 individuals into homelessness, and left an entire nation traumatized.
A year later, facts about the cause of the Beirut blast are scarce and the site of the explosion remains as is: an abandoned disaster scene that leaves many questions unanswered for the families of the victims and the Lebanese people as a whole. Many Lebanese who work in Beirut even have to drive by that scene on a daily basis, reminded that somehow their lives must continue despite the heartache.
Whatever you read about this day after the passing of 365 days, and whatever we all try to communicate about the tragedies of what happened a year ago and explain the heartache of our people, we will never be able to relay the permanency and gravity of the loss, hurt, and grief that millions of Lebanese continue to live in while also still living under the same circumstances and corruption responsible for the tragic explosion in Beirut.
Partner on the Ground: Heart for Lebanon
To put things into perspective as to what that meant for Operation Blessing partner on the ground, Heart for Lebanon, the ministry’s Beirut offices and headquarters are less than 3 miles away from the epicenter of the blast. Most of the Heart for Lebanon Beirut team lives within that same radius and can share individual experiences of loss on that day. One team member tells about the miraculous way she was spared by running late to a wedding that she was going to attend less than a mile from the explosion that evening. A number of team members suffered damages to their apartments, and many more lived through the horrifying experience of long hours of survival check-ins from friends and family. As one team member explained it so well, “The explosion did not happen at the Beirut port, it happened inside every single apartment in Beirut.”
For me personally, it had been exactly a week since I left Beirut to pursue a law degree in the states. I had moved my travel date up from August 4th to July 29th. If I had not, I would have been driving along that exact route headed towards the airport that day. As for my grandmother, May Abboud Melki, she took to her piano immediately after seeing her damaged apartment, with no words to express herself other than to play a tune of Auld Lang Syne before the 78-year-old mustered up the strength to think through how to move forward.
Photos provided by Heart for Lebanon
The Restore Beirut Initiative
On August 5th, teams from the Bekaa and the South of Lebanon came to support the response on the ground in Beirut. The response was organic, it was raw, and it was difficult because it was the first time that every person working was both a victim and a first responder.
Heart for Lebanon spent the first several days cleaning up debris, then began supporting churches and Christian schools that were affected, and any families connected to those institutions.
I’m thankful to say, that because of our partnership with Operation Blessing, your support quickly came through to help us in our efforts. You provided encouragement for us and vital disaster relief supplies to victims in need during this difficult time.
As families were referred to us by church members and affiliated schools, our “Restore Beirut” team assessed material damage to their homes, secured living spaces, and tried to restore a sense of safety. We ensured that all doors and windows of damaged apartments were restored for security reasons. One such family was Walid and Layla’s family.
A team member told me the story from her recent visit to Walid and Layla’s home: “During our visit, Layla was in her living room watching TV as she prepared a Lebanese dish for her family. When Walid started telling us about what happened that day, Layla started to get emotional, she got so emotional and repeatedly kept saying how she still cannot believe that her husband is alive. She said, ‘He was so close to the explosion, it all happened in a matter of seconds. I called him several times, but he didn’t answer so I assumed the worst had happened. Two hours later, I was breaking down, nothing was clear, the whole country was in shock, and watching the news wasn’t giving me any answers, until my husband called suddenly. I thanked God a million times for protecting him. If you knew how close he was, you’d definitely understand what I went through.’ We knew exactly how close Walid’s work was to the explosion—it was only a few feet away from where nearly 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate had just exploded.”
Every family that the Restore Beirut team visited had a miraculous testimony to share, a story in which God protected them. The losses “should have been far greater” one team member said to me. “When you walk along every street and you hear the clinking of glass and the mass destruction that ripped through an entire city, and that was heard across the country, you cannot but declare it a miracle.”
Reaching Out to Explosion Victims in Beirut
As referrals were made from church and school networks, the Restore Beirut team also started connecting with families in need as they moved about the city. Out of the 95 units that were restored by Heart for Lebanon, most of those connections were made by a Restore Beirut team member who noticed a family in need and asked if they could help.
Photos provided by Heart for Lebanon
One such relationship was built with Carol. On August 4th, Carol was on the balcony with her 6-year-old granddaughter Katrina watching the flame rise from the Beirut port. A few minutes later, Carol heard what sounded like fireworks and explained to Katrina that there was nothing to worry about—until the explosion got louder. The next few moments stretched long and chaotic.
Carol said, “My daughter and I carried Katrina and ran downstairs trying to find refuge, we thought that a war had just started. Cynthia, my daughter, was barefoot, she walked over shattered glass for almost a mile. She kept on having surgeries to reconstruct the damage done to her feet until December 2020.” Our team shared many visits, prayers, and conversations with Carol as we restored her apartment.
As for the team themselves, a week after the blast and after 7 straight days of over 10 hours of work picking up glass, and salvaging people’s belongings from whatever was left, the Heart for Lebanon team gathered and sang songs of praise in a damaged living room. A team member shared with me that it was at that moment that the tears came rushing through. The shock had subsided, and the tears did not stop.
Camille Melki, Heart for Lebanon founder said, “We should all allow ourselves to cry, but the hardest thing for me has been my inability to do so. I have been asking God repeatedly, when God? When will those tears come rushing down? When will I truly be able to feel again after this paralyzing shock?”
The tragic stories continued with every apartment the team went into. However, it was as if the Lord had gone before them and people’s hearts were somehow ready to give praise to God for the miracles of whatever they had left. After doors and windows were sealed, churches were rebuilt, and schools became functional again, the Restore Beirut team continued to minister to the needs of these dear people
But today, there are stories of God’s miraculous encounters that saved lives. Today, for every survivor of the Beirut explosion, there is a story that points to God, the One who is merciful and who heals. Today, stories of restoration are not of windows and doors, but rather of people and souls.
It is hard to find goodness amid evil and hope in the midst of despair. The stories of tragedy from one year ago are still with us. However, with your help, our team showed the love of Jesus Christ in tangible and meaningful ways to hundreds of families. The people of Lebanon live to tell the heart wrenching stories of August 4, 2020, but also the miraculous stories of August 4, 2020—stories of Christ’s abundant love, mercy, and grace.
___________
We at Operation Blessing would like to thank our supporters for reaching out to victims of the Beirut explosion with love and support. While the nation still struggles, your thoughtfulness and kindness helped to bring healing during those darkest of days.
MEXICO: Young Cristian attends a school deep in the heart of Mexico. His school’s name, Ameyalli, means “the place where water flows.” But ironically, the students suffered for a lack of clean, drinkable water. Although a river runs nearby, the water is dirty and can’t be used for drinking, cooking or washing. This created a difficult situation that would eventually be changed through rainwater harvesting.
Cristian is just one of over 100 kids at the elementary school, and 98% of them attend on scholarship. The children seem to truly appreciate the opportunity to learn subjects such as math, history, and English. However, the lack of water caused a lot of problems for students like Cristian.
Some of the children had a long walk to school, but there was often no water to refresh them upon arrival. They also enjoyed their playtime on playground equipment, climbing trees, and participating in games. But afterward the kids would be tired and thirsty. The lack of water could become a detriment to their learning and their health, especially on hot days.
A Blessing Through Rainwater Harvesting
Because of friends like you, Operation Blessing was able to offer clean water to the kids of Ameyalli. Since rain is abundant in their area, we installed a rainwater harvesting system to catch and store water. The water is then piped to a filter, which cleans it. We also provided additional filtration systems for the classrooms, and gave the kids their own water bottles to stay well-hydrated during the day as they learn and play. Finally, we offered hygiene training to the children, to help keep them healthy.
Cristian and his classmates now have clean water readily available at their school. Faithful partners like you have transformed their learning experience. Thank you for your heart to end water scarcity and see thirst quenched in Mexico and around the world.
PHILIPPINES – “I was at the lake feeding fish when one of my companions noticed smoke coming from the crater,” Sherwin recalls. As a young father-to-be, Sherwin feared the worst from the sleeping volcano under his feet. Unfortunately, those fears proved founded. “You could even hear the rumbling of the island,” Sherwin said. “That was when we realized that an eruption was really happening.”
Soon, a column of ash and smoke rose high into the atmosphere while explosions rumbled deep underground. Lava spewed from the summit, ash fell like a heavy, gray snow, and volcanic lightening flashed from the eruption column. But as dramatic as the eruption of the Taal Volcano was, its impact on the surrounding communities was even worse. As the eruption intensified, Sherwin and his pregnant wife were forced to evacuate, volcano victims whose lives had been turned upside down.
Sherwin’s family, like so many families living in the area around the volcano, had lost so much. Dozens had been killed and the volcanic ash destroyed virtually all crops in the region. Many livestock died and fishermen relying on Taal Lake for food and income found their livelihoods gone virtually overnight. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes.
Arriving in Manila where his sister lived, Sherwin and his wife hoped for a fresh start. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for Sherwin to find work. Despite the ongoing hardship, Sherwin never lost faith in God.
Helping Volcano Victims Rebuild After The Eruption
Your support of Operation Blessing enabled relief to come quickly after the eruption. And your faithfulness made it possible for Operation Blessing to continue helping volcano victims over the following months. Operation Blessing partnered with Sherwin’s pastor, an expert boat-maker, to build new boats for fishermen who had lost their livelihoods in the eruption—including Sherwin. You also helped provide new fishing nets and resources for repairing homes to victims of the Taal volcano.
“This blessing is really a big help for us,” Sherwin said, now a new father. “I thank first and foremost the Lord, and all the people who He used!”
Thank you for all you do to show compassion to those left hurting after disaster strikes.
TURPUTIA, PERU — Imagine waking up at 4 A.M. every single morning to hike several miles, just for a drink of water. It might be hard to comprehend, but this is daily life for the residents of Turputia, Peru. For generations, this remote community in the highlands has struggled with water scarcity. These families scrape together a living through agriculture and livestock. They have little to no savings to speak of. This makes moving closer to a water source impossible.
And even when there is water to be found, there’s no way for these people to guarantee that it’s safe to drink. Abraham, a young resident of Tupurtia, told us that the water made him sick for an entire week. But they have no other choice. Can you imagine living life this way?
But YOU have the power to change the lives of the families living in Tupurtia. By partnering with Operation Blessing, you have the opportunity to construct a life-changing, state-of-the-art water system in the heart of this community to battle water scarcity. With your help, Operation Blessing will install a gravity-fed water pump and holding tank, complete with a chlorinator. This system will deliver fresh, clean, drinkable water right to the homes of Tupurtia. Your generosity will provide families with the abundant, clean water they’ve always dreamed of.
To help provide a miracle for Tupurtia, visit ob.org/water21. Or, click here to learn more about Operation Blessing’s clean water projects in Peru and all over the world!
KENYA – Early every morning, six-year-old Mosoni and her siblings went outside to play. She said, “I love to play hide and seek. We hide behind the house or fence and when someone finds you, they tap you on the back.” But she and the other kids didn’t always have so much energy to play. A drought in Kenya was sapping the strength of a young family.
Mosoni’s mom is a farm worker, but because of an ongoing drought in Kenya, she struggled to provide for her children. She explained, “I woke up at sunrise to fetch water. I came back midday with only a little water. At times, the drought was so severe we went to bed without any food.”
“My stomach and head hurt so much I thought I would die,” Mosoni said. “I wished for it to be night, so I could just sleep. I prayed to God in heaven that He would send us food.”
Relief From The DroughtIn Kenya
Your gifts did so much for this family and many others in surrounding them. First, we invited them to join our school near their home. Here Mosoni and other children receive a free education and two meals a day. “When we finish eating our tummies are very full,” she said.
She has the chance to get a strong start on learning, and even has access to technology like learning tablets charged by solar panels to study Swahili and English. The tablets provide a rare opportunity in her part of the world. She also gets to play on the playground. Mosoni said, “I am so happy here. After class, I play with my friends.”
Thanks to Operation Blessing friends like you, we dug a well at the school and provided chlorination, so families have fresh, clean water just a short walk from their homes. Mosoni’s mom also joined our agriculture program, which helps to provide for her family. Along with about twenty other women, she’s also raising goats thanks to you. They sell the milk at the market to create income.
“Now, even during the drought, we have food. Mosoni taught us how to pray. And every time we eat together, we thank God for our food,” she said. “I pray that everyone who helped us will have a long life, and that God will double everything you have, so you can help more people.”
Mosoni added in her sweet hope-filled voice, “Thank you for loving us, and for helping us.”
MYANMAR/THAILAND BORDER — The violence continues to worsen in the wake of a military coup, and many displaced families in Myanmar are fleeing to the Thailand border for safety. These victims have left everything behind to run for their lives. They desperately need food, medicine, and shelter. “They were shooting and the bullets fell beside us,” one displaced person told Operation Blessing staff. “The whole village ran away… we ran here to seek help.”
The new military government has been violently cracking down on opposing groups leading to a widespread humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.
Many minorities who have greatly struggled in Myanmar for decades now face terrible persecution in their own country. Untold numbers have been forced to leave their belongings and their homes behind in search of safety. These Internally Displaced People (IDPs) have found refuge in camps along the Thailand border, but their needs remain great.
Those willing to stand up to the military also face violence and persecution, and their families can suffer too. As the soldiers go to fight the government forces, their families are often left to fend for themselves.
Thanks to your compassion, Operation Blessing is providing critical relief supplies to these desperate families, giving them hope and help in the midst of these extremely difficult times.
The people of Myanmar need your help. Click here to learn more about Operation Blessing’s efforts to help displaced families in Myanmar. Visit ob.org/obcrisis to get involved and bring aid to victims of disaster.
Around the world, Operation Blessing friends like you are shining the light of God’s love into some of the hardest and most difficult places. In Myanmar, and other hot spots of conflict and violence, Operation Blessing supporters are reaching out with powerful and effective humanitarian aid. Thank you for being a part of this important work.
MOZAMBIQUE – The following report comes to us straight from Mozambique where residents fleeing from internal violence have been suffering, in desperate need of food and supplies. It’s written by Operation Blessing Program Manager, Clayten Gouws, who is based in nearby South Africa. The report gives a detailed inside view of how your love reaches out to people seeking refuge and provides relief in Mozambique throughout even the most challenging circumstances.
Day 1: Mozambique Relief Preparation
We arrived in Pemba, Mozambique, on a Monday. Next we drove about 125 miles west with our partners on the ground, LifeChild. Our journey brought us to an area where a concentration of internally displaced people (IDPs) have come to find safety. They’ve fled from the horrible violence that has been terrorizing the Cabo Delgado region.
Our goal was to bring relief in Mozambique through delivering food to 400 families who had recently arrived in the area seeking refuge. We also hoped to assess any longer-term ways we might be able to help.
Day 2: Food Distribution in Mozambique
Our first full day in the region of Montepuez involved us meeting with the local governmental Administrator. We needed to get approval to go into IDP camps with the food and supplies. Local cultural tradition dictates that we receive the blessing of these leaders. This will help protect us in case we face any push back from locals or the military at the roadblocks that lay scattered all over the area to protect cities from attacks.
With the blessing of both the local governor and the minister of health, we proceeded to the site where we would distribute food aid the following day. We passed through a very rural region. Even using the main roads, it took us over 2 hours to travel 20 miles to the camp because of rough terrain.
On arrival we met the local officer in charge of coordinating the flurry of IDPs who come to their office every day. Many of these people have walked as much as 300 miles to reach relative safety. With the help of compassionate friends like you, the camp will care for their immediate food and medical needs. Later, each family will be assigned a piece of land so that they can re-start their lives. Many of the people arriving still appear very much in shock from what they have seen and experienced. Too often, they suffer from malnutrition and are in serious need of medical intervention.
We were able to speak and engage with some of the people who had arrived at the office. They amazed us with their resilience and determination amid circumstances none of us could even come close to comprehending.
Day 3: Expanding Our Humanitarian Efforts
This morning we learned that the president of Mozambique, who grew up in the Montepuez area, had heard about the food distribution we had planned. He contacted us directly to ask us to bring more relief to another site, which he knew had yet to receive any kind of aid. At this request, we re-organized our food packs. We wanted to be able to assist both of the camps with sufficient food and supplies to help the displaced people get back on their feet.
Though this was outside of our original plan, we felt led to go along with it. We knew that building relationships like this would only benefit further outreach. It would open doors for Operation Blessing and our partner, LifeChild, to bring more relief in Mozambique in the future.
After loading two trucks to the brim, we headed off to the first distribution site. Only four weeks earlier, the camp had been nothing but bush and high grass. Now it contained many structures made from mud and bamboo, which have become the new homes for the IDPs. Thanks to Operation Blessing partners, we were able to provide food and supply packs to hundreds of families. We also had an opportunity to share the love of God with these people during their difficult time.
What grabbed our attention was the way local administrative officers had already marked out and planned a “neighborhood” for the IDPs needing to restart their lives. It included plots for each family, alleyways, and even roads for supplies and aid to be brought in.
A Worthwhile Outreach
The long trip proved to be well worth it. The encouragement, hope, and resources that we brought helped restore dignity to these hurting people and provide vital relief in Mozambique. I’m hugely honored to have been a part of this project. We would never have been able to do it without LifeChild, or without the support of generous Operation Blessing partners like you.
Please continue to pray for the people that we met. And pray the thousands of people who have had to leave everything they know and own to escape the violence in hopes of finding a place of safety and rest.
You can give a special gift today to victims of disaster and crisis at: ob.org/crisis
WORLDWIDE – Security is something most of us long for, especially for our families. But we rarely have to think in terms of being food insecure. For much of the world, and even as many as 10 percent of Americans, a secure and reliable source of food can be hard to come by.
Food insecurity can take on several forms. For some it could mean lacking certain basic nutrients, or a home where parents skip meals to offer more food to their young ones. For others, it could mean ongoing hunger or even malnourishment.
That’s why, with your support, Operation Blessing fights to cut off food insecurity at the root by helping families to help themselves. Agricultural opportunities, skills training, and small businesses make it possible for people to earn more income to better feed themselves and their families—hopefully long into the future. You give them essential tools to help them in a food insecure world.
Agriculture
Mirna and Willy’s family in Mexico faced double tragedies last year between the COVID-19 pandemic and tropical storms that ruined their harvest. This farming couple lives in a tiny home with their seven children between the ages of 4 and 16. When the storm hit, their home and the area around it flooded. After a scary few days, the water subsided, but they lost their chickens, crops, and fruit trees. Mirna grew desperate. Since they reside in a remote area, it’s difficult to find any work. She asked, “My God, what will I feed my children?”
Then you came to the rescue of this precious family! Because you care, Operation Blessing in Mexico was able to deliver more than 150 pounds of native seeds so Mirna, Willy and their kids could replant their future and restart their business.
But you didn’t stop there! You also gave this family over a hundred pounds of groceries like beans, rice, lentils and more to help see them through to their next harvest. This was just one of many families in their village to receive these blessings. Our staff will also return to the village to follow up and offer more support, resources, and workshops for Mirna, Willy, and the others in her community.
Skills Training
Krishna in India is another parent who can feed her two children thanks to you! This single mother wept as she told us, “I owed my landlord 4 months’ rent, and I had to take care of the electricity bill and food expenses. No one wanted to help us. I had lost all my hope to survive.”
Then Krishna found hope through an Operation Blessing mask-making opportunity. There she received training and was even given a professional sewing machine. “I am very happy that I found some help to earn money,” said Krishna. “Now, I can take care of my children.”
Microenterprise Support
In Peru, Dora and Mamerto use their traditional ceramic skills to earn a living. During the pandemic, they had to shut their business down because there was no way to deliver their products. Desperate to feed their two boys, Mamerto tried fishing for food, but guards shooed him home and threatened to take his nets.
When the quarantine ended, sales started picking up, but they were so far behind financially that they had no funds to restock their supplies to continue earning money to support their kids.
Then you made a huge difference for this family! Not only did you give them the needed supplies to keep their business going, you also provided training that should enable them to increase their profits moving forward. Dora said, “Now with all this, I can work much better.”
And Much, Much More
These are just a few of the many people around the world that you bless by providing new opportunities to keep their families fed in a food insecure world. You’re not just giving them a hand out, you’re also giving them a hand up for the future, and helping to make food insecurity a thing of the past. Thank you so much for reaching out to people in need!
KENYA – “Just this week I have gone for four days without any food.”
That’s what Nempaso had to say about the situation in her area. She lives with her children in the Arapal Village of northern Kenya. Recently this village began experiencing a severe drought in Africa. It has devastated her community. Animals are left without water, crops are not growing, and many families are struggling with severe hunger.
Days Without Food Due To Drought
Nempaso did everything she could to alleviate the burden on her children due to the drought in Africa. She would often give them a cup of water and send them to bed. Nempaso never wanted to reveal that they had to no food to her children. She knew it would just devastate them. But her options were limited and time to find nutrition to stay alive was running out.
But that’s when YOUR love stepped in! When Operation Blessing learned of Nempaso’s situation, our staff delivered food supplies to her family and her neighbors! Nempaso could not believe her eyes, as she as her children praised God for the abundance your kindness provided. Thank you! TO learn how you can get involved, visit https://www.ob.org/hunger-relief.
